Category Archives: EdFestivals 2017

All our coverage from the 2017 festivals.

+3 Interview: The Stuntman

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features by

“I’ve performed at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Camden Fringe and Brighton Fringe and it is a dream to finally make it to Edinburgh.”

WHO: Nathan Lang, Writer/performer

WHAT: “Professional idiot Nathan Lang tells the high-energy, surreal tale of complete idiot The Stuntman through clowning, characters, physical comedy and real onstage stunts… Evel Knievel meets Wile E. Coyote in Technicolor?! Debut solo show from the host of London’s beloved alternative comedy night Lost Cabaret, half of sketch comedy duo Jon & Nath, co-founder of clown company Farce Forward, and stage and screen actor from Australia to the UK.”

WHERE: Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters (Venue 272)

WHEN: 13:30 (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this is my Edinburgh debut and my first solo show. I’ve been working as an actor and comedian in Australia for many years and since moving to the UK I’ve been working towards this. I’ve performed at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Camden Fringe and Brighton Fringe and it is a dream to finally make it to Edinburgh. My in-laws are coming from Glasgow to judge me really hard so I am not afraid of critics.

Tell us about your show.

The Stuntman is a physical comedy show – Evel Knievel crossed with Wile E. Coyote in Technicolor™ – and after many London previews Edinburgh is its world premiere. The character began in a Spymonkey clowning workshop then I devised the show with director Dan Lees (from The Establishment). Dan has taught me clowning before so he’s seen me at my best and my worst. We created this high-energy story about a lovable idiot who never stops being a daredevil – told through characters, clowning, mime and real onstage stunts. It’s really silly, moving and super fun. I will take The Stuntman to Brighton Fringe next year and, as it’s largely non-verbal and accessible regardless of language, I also plan to tour it internationally.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

I’d like to turn this question on its head and suggest what you should see BEFORE my show… Jon & Nath Like To Party is my sketch comedy show and it runs 3-13 August, 1.30pm @ The Free Sisters. It is also free. It has crackling satire, outrageous characters and impressions, dancing that should never be seen, some pretty hardcore physical comedy (we are keeping an official slap-o-meter) and the hottest Jehovah’s Witness act in town. It’s very high-energy and we mess each other up pretty good by the end, for everyone’s delight. In other words, we have become experts in fast-turnaround laundry techniques.

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+3 Interview: Curse of the Mummy

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features by

“We were sick of going to auditions to be footballer number 5.”

WHO: Sam Dunham, writer/actor/producer

WHAT: “From creators of smash hits Dracula: Sex, Sucking and Stardom and Frankenstein: Unbolted, comes a tale from the darkest depths of Ancient Egypt. Our unwitting hero, Montana Jones, is on a quest for archaeological eminence. However, a love-cursed Mummy and a Nazi spy threaten to destroy everything! This ancient legend is unwrapped, revitalised and whipped up with mischievous musical mash-ups and outrageous humour. A frenetic hour of riotous theatre comedy.”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at The Caves (Venue 88)

WHEN: 19:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is the third time Last Chance Saloon have been to the fringe. We previously performed ‘Dracula: Sex, Sucking & Stardom’ and ‘Frankenstein: UnBolted.’ ‘Curse of the Mummy’ however is going to be our biggest show yet, with more characters, more costume changes, more comedy and more seats to sell than ever before. We’re really looking forward to the rest of the month and if past experience has taught us anything, it’s taught us to stock up on vitamins, fruit and Vocalzone. And maybe some beer.

Tell us about your show.

Our show is ‘Curse of the Mummy’ and it was written by us, produced by us and barring any major fall outs, performed by us. Our story focuses on a young intrepid but ultimately useless explorer called Montana Jones as he goes on a quest to discover ancient relics and ruins. However, not all goes to plan, as he encounters a gold obsessed Nazi and has to chase him across Egypt while simultaneously attempting to save the world from a love Cursed Mummy.

Last Chance Saloon were formed 6 years ago because basically no one wanted to employ us and cause we were sick of going to auditions to be footballer number 5. This way, by creating our own work, we at least get to be making the comedy theatre that we want to be a part of and that we think audiences would love. Even if we’re not getting rich by doing so. But so far, we’ve had fun, got some great reviews and entertained lots of people, so long may it continue.

We previewed the show in London in July, testing it out in front of a friendly couple of audiences and then after Edfringe we’ll be taking it to the London Horror Festival. Fingers crossed it’ll have a life after that but who knows what the future holds.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

Ah there are so many good shows out there that even we don’t know about! But we have kept our ears to the ground and have heard that Mini Mall Theatre have a fantastic show called ‘Ballistic’. There’s our best mates Swipe Right Theatre who are performing their sell out show ‘2 Become 1’ for the 3rd time at the Fringe and then there’s ‘Trygve vs a Baby’ which sounds so crazy that it might just be genius. Trygve is a brilliant clown and if you’ve seen any of his other shows you’ll know he’s one not to miss. But seriously, the only way to find out what to see is by talking to everyone else.

Word of mouth is so important in a festival like this and so if you see a show you like then spread the news and the love!

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+3 Interview: Tamar Broadbent: Get Ugly

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“…been here enough times to know to only pack waterproof shoes.”

WHO: Tamar Broadbent, Comedian / Songwriter / Performer

WHAT: “Did you know that when you go through a break-up you become 25% uglier? Newly single and living in the trendy part of town, Tamar is nervous about leaving the house. How do you become a strong, independent woman when your confidence deserts you and you’re too busy dodging hipsters, envying gym girls and just trying to keep body hair under control? Award-winning musical comedy about re-discovering your awesome-ness and embracing life without a filter.”

WHERE: Underbelly Med Quad (Venue 302) ​

WHEN: 17:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is my sixth year at the Edinburgh fringe festival. I have done five years of comedy and one year in a student play. I have a great feeling about this year though – I love performing my show Get Ugly, have been here enough times to know to only pack waterproof shoes, and am living with lovely people in a house that doesn’t appear yet to have any hell dimensions*.

*(Last year, we were in a property which had a ‘hell attic’ instead of a living room, mice, and where you could only take a shower if the oven was turned on. I’ll tell you more over a coffee sometime.)

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’16?

I finally got round to registering for a Flex Account. Other than that – I toured Get Ugly to Australia, joined improv team My Brother, Jose at the Free Association, wrote and performed the play Split with Emma Pritchard, wrote the musical Club Mexicano with John-Victor, and performed comedy all over the UK as well as in Guernsey, Berlin and Prague.

Tell us about your show.

Get Ugly is a musical comedy about life after a break up – with songs and stories about dodging hipsters, envying gym girls and desperately trying to keep body hair under control. It is written and performed by me, Tamar Broadbent (comedian and songwriter), and is being produced by the fantastic Jimmy Jewell. We have big plans for the show post-festival – it picked up a nomination for Best Comedy at Perth Fringeworld 2017, and we are looking into taking it over-other-seas in future, which is very exciting. Until then – come see it at the Underbelly Med Quad, 5.30pm!

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

I am most looking forward to watching Jacuzzi – the long-form, UCB-style improv extravaganza from the Free Association at 11pm, Pleasance Courtyard. If you come on 23rd, 25th or 27th, I’ll be joining the cast!

The other show I’ve been wanting to see for five years but have always clashed with is a cappella supergroup The Magnets – go see them for me and tell me how it is! I’ll be very jealous.

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+3 Interview: We Are Ian

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2017, Plus 3 2017 - Features by

“We’re still sorta learning the ropes.”

WHO: Nora, Dora and Kat, Performers

WHAT: “It’s 1989. Manchester. A frenzy of drugs, beats and bucket hats. Illegal raves and acid parties. Jumping up and down in a field and throwing two fingers to Thatcher… Remember it? Cus we don’t. We weren’t even born. But Ian was. Ian remembers. Ian reckons we’ve got fuck all now. So let’s go back to the 80’s, neck a brown biscuit and bounce around like idiots. Ian’s gonna show us how… The award-winning cult hit of 2016 is back.”

WHERE: Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) ​

WHEN: 22:00 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, we were up with the same show, WE ARE IAN, last year. It went down really well, and a couple of people told us we should go back this year. So we are. We hope that is was the right decision. Or else we’re going to be living off beans for the forseeable future.

What’s the biggest thing to have happened to you since Festivals ’16?

Probably the biggest thing that’s happened to us, was when HOME in Manchester asked us to perform with them as part of their takeover of the River Stage at the National Theatre. Which is a pretty big thing. That, or we all enjoyed some massive sandwiches the other day. They were very big things.

Tell us about your show.

So our company is us three, Nora, Dora and Kat. We make, perform and produce all of our own work – we do get people in to give a helping hand occasionally when we can. We’re all really close mates so we decided to start performing together when we finished University. We’re still sorta learning the ropes. We premiered our show, WE ARE IAN, at the Fringe in 2016, and have been on a national tour with it over this past year, and we’re bringing it back! After the Fringe, we’re continuing the tour, going to Plymouth, Manchester, Sheffield and some other really fun places.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

Because our show is soundtracked completely with original tunes from the Acid House Movement in the late eighties, it will proper get you in the mood for going out and continuing the night. We’d probably recommend going out to somewhere like Sneaky Petes and having a dance. That or Pollyanna across the road from us at Paradise Palms is always really great, and always still going when we get out of our show.

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+3 Interview: Annie McGrath: Ambivert

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“The cast is absolutely sensational- a real pleasure to work with.”

WHO: Annie McGrath, Writer/performer

WHAT: “After last year’s joke did so well (Dave’s Top Ten Funniest Jokes of the Fringe 2016), Annie returns to Edinburgh with another one. Annie has written and performed on ITV2, Channel 4, BBC Radio 4 Extra and BBC Radio Wales.”

WHERE: Just the Tonic at The Mash House (Venue 288)

WHEN: 18:20 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

If only! This is my 9th Edinburgh fringe. I first went up in 2006 with a very questionable school play. Then for the three years I was at university, I was in a sketch group, The Leeds Tealights, with various brown-haired, white boys from the South. After university, Jack Barry (one of the Tealights) and I formed sketch duo Twins and wrote four fringe shows together. Last year was my first solo stand-up show; this year will be my second.

Tell us about your show.

My show is called ‘Annie McGrath: Ambivert’. The cast is absolutely sensational- a real pleasure to work with. The show is produced by Plosive Productions, a company set up by the brilliant Ben Williams, former comedy critic at Time Out. Before Edinburgh, I previewed the show in London, Kent, Buxton, Northampton & Bath. I’m sure I’ll do it again in London after the fringe.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

I saw a preview of David Trent’s show at ARG Fest and it was great. He is a funny man.

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+3 Interview: Olaf Falafel Presents: The Marmosets of My Mind

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“The new show is more good clean stupid surreal fun.”

WHO: Olaf Falafel, Comedian

WHAT: “Back with another hour of surreal stupidity. Who knows what it will involve, maybe sandpaper, probably conkers. Whatever it is, I personally guarantee your money back if you actually learn something.”

WHERE: Laughing Horse @ City Cafe (Venue 85)

WHEN: 16:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

It’s my fifth year – second time doing a full hour long show though. Last year’s show was the award nominated ‘Olaf Falafel and The Cheese Of Truth’ it was also at The City Cafe at 4:15pm so I’m back to hopefully prove it wasn’t all a fluke!

Tell us about your show.

The new show is more good clean stupid surreal fun. There will be some educational sections, for example explaining about the origins of belly button fluff but mostly the show will revolve around my love of cleaning product-based musical instruments.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

I’m really looking forward to seeing Michael Stranney’s debut hour ‘Welcome to Ballybeg’ – we shared a show a few years ago so it’ll be great to see what his alter ego Daniel Duffy has been up to.

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+3 Interview: Gutted

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“It’s dynamic, real, life affirming, honest, and it makes people giggle too. “

WHO: Tara Robinson, Co-creator / Director

WHAT: “Liz has got an embarrassing problem and these yogurts aren’t helping; her body’s acting up. After sell-out performances at HOME Manchester and a national tour of hospitals, Liz Richardson shares her real life experiences living as a twenty-something with ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease) in this shameless tale of love, laughter and lavatories. Co-created by Tara Robinson and described by audience members as tight, witty and compelling, Gutted is a frank and funny exploration of our relationship to our bodies when they fail us.”

WHERE: Pleasance Dome (Venue 23)

WHEN: 14:40 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, first time with a show of my own…

Tell us about your show.

Gutted is about a young twenty-something girl living her life with a chronic bowel illness. It’s about the embarrassment that brings, the people who make it bearable and the things that you find yourself laughing about. It’s a one-woman show featuring Liz Richardson, co-created with me Tara Robinson, and is based on Liz’s own real life experiences. It’s dynamic, real, life affirming, honest, and it makes people giggle too.

It’s a co-production between HOME Manchester and The Conker Group, and is also being produced by Making Room. We premiered the show last year at HOME to sell-out audiences and enjoyed a tour of UK hospitals later in the year. We’re booking a theatre tour for Spring 2018 at the moment so if you’re not in Edinburgh, look out for us nearby…

Gutted has got a bit of everything – laughs, frankness, authenticity, a love story (not soppy), and a bit of education – which itself makes it something of a winner, but it’s also a show about how we deal with shit. We think that’s universal.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

I’m excited about so much: Kieran Hurley’s “Heads Up”, fanSHEN’s “Lists for the End of the World”, Touretteshero “Not I”, Rachel Mars “Our Carnal Hearts”… too many to choose.

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+3 Interview: Sisters: White Noise

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“This year we’re bringing our first full debut hour to the Pleasance Courtyard and we can’t wait to put it in front of a Fringe audience.”

WHO: Mark Jones, Performer / Writer

WHAT: “Innovative sketch duo Sisters snake Fringe-wards, clutching their debut hour to their breast. ‘See them now if you want to witness the birth of something special’ (ThreeWeeks). ‘Genius pieces’ (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘The sharpness of the writing can only be applauded’ (Scottish Daily Mail). ‘A supremely talented ensemble’ (Nicholas Parsons). Sketch Off finalist 2016.”

WHERE: Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33) ​

WHEN: 19:15 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

The pair of us have been coming to the fringe for the last few years. Whilst with the invisible dot, I worked on Liam Williams’ ‘Bonfire Night’, Sheeps’ ‘Skewer The News’ and Lolly Adefope’s ‘Lolly 2’. Last year we performed a 40 minute work-in-progress show on the Free Fringe to test out a heap of material we had accumulated over the last few years. The crowds were really receptive to it so we decided to push on in London. This year we’re bringing our first full debut hour to the Pleasance Courtyard and we can’t wait to put it in front of a Fringe audience.

Tell us about your show.

Our first full hour, ‘White Noise’ is about our three favourite things; comedy, the internet and friendship. Desperate to become famous comedians within the first 50 minutes, we live-stream the entire show to audiences around the world in the hope that it will speed up the process. BUT WILL IT WORK? AND IS THE PLEASANCE WIFI EVEN FAST ENOUGH TO COPE WITH THIS KIND OF SOCIAL EXPERIMENT?! All the answers you seek, and much much less will be revealed in our hour of sketch based jokes n’ gags.

The show has been the culmination of a few year’s writing that began at University. Christy and I lived together in our final year which is where a lot of the writing started. After graduating we entered various competitions and managed to get to the final of the Leicester Square Theatre Sketch-Off in 2017. We’ve been lucky enough to have sold-out our entire run of previews in London and are hoping that that will somehow translate into ticket sales up here in Edinburgh.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

We’re very excited to see Tim Key, Phoebe Walsh, David Elms’ new play Siren, Princes of Main and a heap of others. There’s also some great newcomers this year that we’re really intrigued by.

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+3 Interview: Sleeping Trees at the Movies

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“…it’ll be a different show each day for three days.”

WHO: Joshua George Smith, Writer performer

WHAT: “Everybody has their favourite film genre, whether it’s rom-com, action, independent amateur Japanese anime, the list is endless. This year, multi award-winning comedy trio the Sleeping Trees are bringing all of their hit movie shows back to the Edinburgh Fringe: Mafia, Western and Sci-Fi! Without any props or set to aid them and with each show accompanied by a rip-roaring live score, only someone who laments fun would consider missing the greatest movie trilogy since Big Momma’s House. All three shows directed by Tom Parry (Pappy’s/BBC Radio 4). Amused Moose Comedy Award Finalists 2016.”

WHERE: Pleasance Dome (Venue 23) ​

WHEN: 17:30 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

This is actually our 8th year at the fringe. We first came back in 2009 when we were at the hive (before it was cool) and we have been back every year since. We have always said we will take a break once we’ve done 10. That feels fair.

Tell us about your show.

So we are doing our last three years shows on rotation. So it’ll be a different show each day for three days. They were all written as part of a collaboration with our friends and musicians the Physics House Band and now we have the incredibly talented Ben Hales taking over the job as one man band. After the fringe these shows will be embarking on a bit of a regional tour up until spring, with a little stop off in Belgium. It’s about time we broke the Belgium scene.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

If you fancy a different kind of three piece I can’t recommend Gein’s Family Giftshop enough. Everything I see of there’s is gold and I can’t wait to see their show this year.

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Meet Our +3 Team #EdFringe ’17 – Iona Young

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“I guess what keeps me here now is my friends, the beautiful architecture and a love for all things Scottish.”

Iona is a Journalism Student at Edinburgh’s Napier University who you can usually find roaming around the Grassmarket/Cowgate area, either chatting away to everyone or having a good boogie on the dance floor! Having moved away from Edinburgh for a few years she now appreciates even more what this fantastic city has to offer.

In particular she loves Edinburgh’s live music scene and enjoys getting to know all the great people you meet in and around Edinburgh’s pubs and clubs.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, and do you follow it?

Whenever something goes wrong my German grandmother says to me, “Es gibt Schlimmeres.” Directly translated this means “there are worse things.” In other words appreciate what you have, stop complaining and get on with it. I would like to think for the most part I do follow this- although I do like a good moan every now and then.

If space invaders came to burn down Edinburgh, but wanted to leave just one thing standing, what would you ask them to leave? (You can’t say the castle. Not even space invaders could capture Edinburgh castle.)

The Cowgate. Then at least we would still have places to dance.

What first brought you to Edinburgh? What keeps you here?

I grew up in Edinburgh. At 16 I moved to Germany for four years and although this was a great experience I always wanted to come back. I guess what keeps me here now is my friends, the beautiful architecture and a love for all things Scottish.

What’s the first live performance you can remember?

My family always took me to see lots of shows when I was younger but none really come to mind. What I do remember is when my mum and I saw seeing Paolo Nutini when I was 14 – love at first sight!

What’s the best live performance you’ve ever attended?

Spartacus at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. My grandmother took me to see this last Christmas. Usually I find ballets too long and therefore tedious at times but this exciting performance, under the new ballet director Igor Zelensky, took me by surprise.

What are you most excited about seeing at #Edfringe17?

This year I have decided to pick a couple of shows which are completely new. As I don’t really know what to expect I am not ‘most excited’ about any one of them – I just hope at the end of the Fringe I can say I experienced something unique.

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